The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-20
ron WOMEN WITHOUT HOMES.
~. MaPy's Lodging House and what Has
Grown from II.

of what could be seen almost any night In Ira
falgar square before steps were taken for Its
removal are the saddest pictures possible Of
the sufferings OF the homeless poor. 1T is n
MARVEL" now. as when Adelaide A. Proctor
wrote In 1852, that well-to-do Londoners can
sleep In pence in their warm, comfortable
homes with such horror at their very door"
But this form OF misery exists, more or less. In
every large city in Europe, and presumably
also in the United States. Nor are It's victims
mostly tramps. hardly deserving Of COM
passion. On the contrary. statistics, care
fully obtained, for instance. in Paris.
have revealed tho fact that they are,
for the greater part, persons OF either
sex who have got out OF employment, and en-
tirely out OF MEANS and have no one at hand
that they can apply to for immediate assist
snce. These phenomena OF destitution are
peculiarly incident to the industrial system OF
the present day. under which, in largo Cities
multitudes earn Just the bare means OF ex-
istence. and are liable to be cut of from them
ut almost any time at very short notice. women
In particular being subject sto these vicissi-
tudes. A homeless, penniless person, more es-
pecially II a woman burdened with children,
needs little more than mere shelter for
night and bed. There Is often the greatest
want for some food washing facilities. to keep
are also very necessary.
The relief OF this particular human suffering
has not been overlooked in past ages by chris
tian charity. The precept of pursuing hos
pitality" inculcated by st. Paul. was put in
practice in the peno do chium OF the primitive
Church. The night refuge OF Santa Gala.
which still flourishes at Rome and OF St. Ju-
liam, which existed at Lille up to 170l date
back respectively from tho thirteenth and
D.,
Of 93 closed the night shelters that had been
long established In Paris-the Hospice OF st.
Anastase and st. Gervais, founded In III.
raIe Of g. Ausasn Whoh TOOK in HOMELESS D
snd h ngs he o
boled ana led ss d
Herm atsl Del Rsiuso s Piedad founded By
religious in Madrid. in 1915. is still in regular
s ss csn oban In as edns sn Of P0h
evening meal consisting Ct one pound Of white ,hb,
snd o In Dec s
pisht shelter to women Only Might reiases
long time past. and Adelaide A. Proctor has
under CATHOLIC manasement. founded IN 1860
ives s Opened at MarseiIles IN iss6 one at at Gene
va, and six started In Paris since 1878. three
very successfully and doing much good. Other
cities in Franee and elsewhere 1n the Gontis
respect It is likely to spread more and more.
for public attention and sympathy seem to be-
come aroused everywhere on the subject n
both sexes. They are still tho only one for
somewhat acquainted with the wants and suf-
ferings of this particular class Of unfortunates
OF her own sex, determined to try what she
could 6O halp than If IA fact ascertain al
by observation and experience. that In this city
among homeless women are to be found. be-
saleswOmen. seamstresses. lady companions.
trained nurses. nursery governesses. teachers.
there are touching instances Of women or girls
as and ana %hoy wes asy IN 5
Of respectable families through intemperance
or family dfscords, drives many victims out to
shift for themselves. Her sole purpose at first
was to afford protection to respectable young
Dec. s OF that year, with the cooperation
hired du " small dwelling at ISIS West twenty
g. otns w Hehss she sSs et Rf IN penn
less girls and women out Of work and harbored
them until they could find some. The house
the charitable and the proceeds Of the poorly
paid labor Of the inmates so far as II could be b,
WorE, Tie undertaking was "a E 50 novel and SO
much In Its bn had to be learned by
iled and deserving s applicatiens had often ef to
be refused for want of room. The founder has
known cases OF young women brought for shell
70, spend the night on the stairs. il only, in
warm o. and friends the nsuoe
sn F'a xoda be hs sss a Ga
dr ufe for h Was
gentlomsn. the FOUNDER and her first assistant.
slow. although steady and constant, in time re-
Its At S Wsps
fair way to become self,supporting, and to
extend its usefulness, the founder was led to
great thoronghfare and the next move waste
2S5 West Fourteenth street. Results have
as the charity became better known and more
resorted to- it was plainly seen that the differ;
snse in Of applicants rendered
tons Of inmates and separate means Of receD-
ton and accommodation f2r each: 1t was In
present more eligible premises Mt 143 West
Fourteenth street. in which q spacious stable
establishing a night shelter. open at all
hours. for the reception OF women OF all
ages ana cOnQltlOnS, nOHleleSS. from any cause
whatever. nearly all Of whom, for obvious rea-
sons would be Ineligible for admission into st.
Mary's, and had to be provided for separately.
It Is called st. Joseph's Night Refuge. is
reached by a separate entrance on a level with
the street, and Is accessible at all hours OF the
night. 1t can accommodate fifty women, who
find there comfortable beds and warm meals
There is no charge for admission, and no ques-
In July, 1886, It was decided that the work
being sufficiently well established to give
grounds for hope that 1t could be made per-
manent. the ladies who had carried it on would
be able to do more good and best insure its
stability by forming themselves into commu-
nifty under the rule OF a religious order. thus
binding themselves to dedicate their entire
lives to the work Of sheltering the homeless
Accordingly, the founder and her associates,
on July IL. 1885, took the VOWS and the habit |
OF the third order of Regulars OF st. Francis
and the name Of the Franciscan Sisters Of st.
Mary Francisco, who have carried on the work
from Its inception. are also members OF the
Board OF Trustees, The community at present
consists Of twelve Sisters and four novices. A |
laundry was opened in January OF the present |
year in connection with tho night. refuge, and
has been moderately successful In obtaining |
patronage, Sewing rooms. comprising depart
ments for dressmaking, plain sewing. and one |
devoted to mending. have been opened in st. |